By Sagar V. Mankar The 67th Grammy Awards have revealed their nominees, celebrating excellence in music across various categories. While the spotlight shines on industry heavyweights like Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, and Billie Eilish, video game fans have their eyes set on the Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media category. This category, introduced at the 65th Grammy Awards in 2023, highlights the growing impact of music in the gaming world.
The inaugural winner of this category was Stephanie Economou for her work on Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök. Last year, the award went to Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab for composing the soundtrack of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. This year, the competition remains fierce, with five notable nominees vying for the award.
2025 Nominees for Best Video Game Soundtrack
The compositions between September 16, 2023, to August 30, 2024, get nominations this year which include:
- Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora by Pinar Toprak
- God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla by Bear McCreary
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 by John Paesano
- Star Wars Outlaws by Wilbert Roget, II
- Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord by Winifred Phillips
Celebrating Talent in Video Game Music
The nominations showcase the incredible talent shaping the soundscapes of video games. John Paesano, nominated for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, shared his joy on social media, saying, “Wow, just found out I’m nominated for a Grammy for Spider-Man 2. It’s such an incredible honor and truly humbling to be in the company of these amazing composers.”
Similarly, Winifred Phillips, nominated for Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, expressed her gratitude on Instagram, calling the recognition “endlessly grateful and outrageously happy.”
These composers bring a wealth of experience to the table. Paesano is known for his work on the Daredevil Netflix series, Maze Runner films, and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Bear McCreary, the renowned composer, has received his third Grammy nomination, previously acclaimed for his work on the scores of Call of Duty: Vanguard and God of War: Ragnarok.
For Ubisoft, the nomination of Star Wars Outlaws provides a silver lining. Despite mixed reviews and modest sales performance, the recognition of Wilbert Roget, II’s soundtrack highlights the creative strength of the game.
Award Ceremony Details
The Grammy Awards will take place on February 2, 2025, at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. The event will be broadcast live on CBS and streamed on-demand via Paramount+ from 5 to 8:30 p.m. PST.